Congratulations for the success your son or daughter has achieved as they enroll in
college. This is a wonderful time for your family, but it can be a stressful one as
well. This is a time of transition.

Transitions can be hard. Your student will be faced with many new challenges: adjusting to living
away from home, making new friends and succeeding academically.

Just as you want your student to rise to meet these challenges, we do as well. We
have the benefit of knowledge about the experiences of college students from years
of research on college students. Such research on students informs us that those who
perceive they have support from home are better able to maintain confidence in their
abilities and tend to persist to complete college.

During this time, students tend to strive for more independence and autonomy. This
is a normal developmental stage. As they grow and adjust, you may feel both excitement
and distress. The decisions they make and the resulting experiences may challenge
your beliefs, values, and culture. This can be a confusing time for parents and students.
You may find yourself feeling like you are losing your child and even fear for their
future. It can be helpful for parents if they realize that this is a time for a student
to realize their own unique personality. It is important for you to take care of yourself
as well. Balancing your life is the key.

The initial adjustment to college can be as long as 6 months to a year. However, if
you notice some or all of these changes in your student's behavior over time: your
student does not seem to be his/her "normal self", their academics are declining;
and/or they seem to be withdrawing from friends/family, you may consider suggesting
that they make an appointment (call/walk-in) at MTSU Counseling Services, 326-S Keathley
University Center (KUC), 898-2670 for further assistance. MTSU Counseling Services offers brief, short term counseling services at no charge for enrolled students.
Initially, counselors meet with a student to determine their needs. If their needs
fall within the limits and scope of our services, we schedule additional counseling
appointments. For those students who suffer from chronic mental health issues or need
long-term psychotherapy or medication management, we value the extent of our efforts
to help those students connect with the appropriate mental health service providers
in the community.